Folding and inserting machine

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the apparatus comprising means for partially severing the blanks from the strip, means for subsequently folding the blanks, means for completely severing the folded blanks from the strip, and means for inserting the folded and completed severed blanks into the openings.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,805,356 Serrano 5] Apr. 23, 1974 FOLDING AND INSERTING MACHINE Prima Examiner-Thomas H. Ea er 5 I t P s B 1 ,s g [7 nven or edm errano arce (ma Pam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William J. Keating; Jay L. [73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. s it hik; Frederick W. Raring [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 329,926

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and Feb. 29, I972 Spain 400261 inserting the folded Hanks in openings in a Support the apparatus comprising means for partially severing [52] US. Cl 29/203 B the blanks f the Strip, means for subsequently f [51] Int. Cl. H05k 13/04 ing the blanks means f completely severing the held M Search 29/203 203 203 folded blanks from the strip, and means for inserting 29/203 DT the folded and completed severed blanks into the openings. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,293,735 12/1966 Lovendusky 29/203 B 1 FOLDING AND INSERTING MACHINE This invention relates to apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks into openings in a support.

We have described in the specification of our British Pat. No. 1,194,528, apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a terminal support, the blanks being connected together to form a strip of such blanks by carrier strip portions, the apparatus comprising means for axially advancing the strip of blanks intermittently in a feed direction, tools for folding each blank in turn during a dwell period of the strip, tools for severing the carrier strip portions to free the blanks from the strip during a dwell period of the strip and an insertion punch for inserting each folded blank in turn, when such has been freed from the strip, into an opening In this known apparatus, the terminal blanks are folded to U-shape by co-operation between the insertion punch and a pair of forming surfaces of the folding tools which surfaces are positioned on either side of the path of movement of the punch during its working stroke and also serve for guiding the folded blank towards the support, the bight or fold line of the blank being directed towards the support, and the forming surfaces acting on the outer surfaces of the arms of the blank during the folding operation. The known apparatus would be unsuitable for use with terminal blanks which when folded, present feet for insertion in the openings in the support which feet have their free ends directed away from the bight or fold line, or in which in the folded condition of the blanks contact spring members, e.g. for gripping male contact elements extend from the outer surfaces of the arms of the folded blanks so that these contact spring members would be susceptible to damage by the forming surface of the known apparatus.

According to thepresent invention, apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the blanks being initially connected together to form a strip of such blanks, comprises means for advancing the strip of blanks along a feed path, insertion means for inserting the leading blank of the strip into an opening in the support, first severing means for partiallysevering the penultimate blank of the strip from the "leading blank thereof at a position upstream, in the feed direction, of the insertion means, folding means for subsequently folding the penultimate blank, and second severing means for completely severing the leading and the pen- 'ultimate blanks from one another at a position downstream, in the {feed direction, of the folding means to permit the inserting means to insert the leading blank sioned to enter afolding recess in the folding punch to bend theblank about the folding anvil, thefirst shearing edges comprising a first pair of shearing edges positioned on either side of the folding recess and a second pair of shearing edges positioned on either side of the folding anvil.

The second shearing edges may comprise shoulders on either side of the recess of the insertion punch and shearing edges on members for supporting the leading blank in register with the insertion punch, the shoulders being positioned towards the base of the recess of the insertion punch.

The insertion punch preferably has a recess for resil iently receiving and compressing the folded leading blank of the strip of blanks to dimension the folded blank for insertion in the opening in the support.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip of electrical terminal blanks;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the lines II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the lines IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a terminal blank that has been severed from the strip and folded to form an electrical terminal for insertion in an opening in a support;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of apparatus, shown partly in section, for severing the termi' nal blanks from the strip, folding the blanks to the form of FIG. 5 and inserting them in the openings in the support, the apparatus being assembled to a press, only part of which is shown;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic enlarged plan view, with parts removed, taken on the lines VII-VII of FIG. 1 and showing part of the strip of blanks;

FIG. 8 is a view taken on the lines VIII-VIII of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a view taken on the lines IX-IX of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a view taken on the lines X-X of FIG. 8.

:shown) for blanking out the strip of stock to form the strip ST.

Each blank 1 comprises a rectangular flat body 4 having acentral hole 5. Extending ifrom-each longitudinal edgeof the=body 4'are two spaced rolledover arms 6 each having its freeedge directed towards the body 4 as best seen in FIG. 4.

Eac'hblank disconnected to eac hof the carrier portions 2 "by alleg 7 extending from, and centrally of, a

transverse edge oftheibody 4. AsshowninsFIG. 2,.each leg 7 is approximately semi-circularas seen in crosssection, and as shown in FIGS. 1,.3and 5 an endlpart of each leg"7.remote fromLthe body 4tapers away from the body 4.

Eachpair of adjacentblanks lis alsointerconnected by an inner carrier portion f the strip ST, each carrier portion 8being parallelto and spaced mid-way between the carrier portions 2.

FIG. 5 shows an electrical terminal 9 which has been formed from one of the blanks l and severed from the strip ST by means of apparatus described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10. The terminal 9 comprises two back-to-back electrical receptacles each for mating with fiat electrical tab terminal (not shown).

In practice, the strip ST will comprise several hundred blanks 1 and will be flexible so that it can be wound about a rotary storage reel (not Shown).

To form the terminal 9, the body 4 of the blank 1 has been folded about the common longitudinal axis 10 of the carrier portions 8, to bring the two legs 7 of the blank 1 together to form a single outwardly tapering plug 11 by means of which the terminal 9 can be mounted on a support, for example a panel, by force fitting the plug 11 into a suitably dimensioned hole in the support.

In the apparatus to be described, the legs 7 of the blank are severed from the carrier portion 2 and the blank is then folded as described above, at a first station of the apparatus after which the blank remains connected to the strip ST by a carrier portion 8. The strip ST is then advanced to position the partially severed blank at a second station of the apparatus, at which the portion 8 is severed to free the formed blank from the strip ST and the formed blank is driven towards the support so that the plug 11 is forced into the hole in the support.

As shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus comprises a base plate 12 and is secured to a press frame 14 (only part of which is shown). Mounted on the plate 12 is a guide assembly 16 for the strip ST, comprising parallel, spaced guide plate 18 defining with further guide plates 21, slots 20 for receiving the carrier portions 2 of the strip ST.

A drag plate 22 is loaded by a spring 24 against the action of which the strip ST is advanced by a feed finger 26 as described below. The spring loading of the drag plate 22 is adjustable by means of a screw 28 and the plate 22 can be raised by depressing a lever 29 against the action of the spring 24. The feed finger 26 is pivotally mounted into a feed lever 30 driven by a shaft 32 mounted for adjustment in a slot 34 in a plate 36 secured to a ram frame 38 of the apparatus. The lever 30 is urged in an anti-clockwise (as seen in FIG. 6) sense of rotation by a spring 38 secured at a position, not shown, to a spring anchor shaft 40, and the finger 26 is urged in an anti-clockwise sense of rotation by a coil spring (not shown).

A ram 44 is slidably mounted in the frame 38 for vertical (as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7) reciprocating movement under the action of a press ram 46 connected to the piston rod 45 of a vertically extending pneumatic piston-and-cylinder unit (not shown). The ram 44 has its upper (as seen in FIG. 6) end, a circular crosssection stud 48 which is engaged in a correspondingly shaped recess 50 in the ram 46. The piston-andcylinder unit is actuable by operating a pedal switch (not shown) to drive the ram 44 through a working and a return stroke. The lever 30 is swung back and forth by a cam (not shown) on the ram 44, which acts upon a cam follower (not shown) connected to the shaft 32, the arc of rotation of the lever 30 being adjustable by means of a screw 52.

The ram 44 has secured, by a screw 45, to its lefthand (as seen in FIG. 6) or forward side, an insertion punch 54 which, as shown in FIG. 10 has a terminal receiving recess 56 having an enlarged guiding mouth 58. Disposed towards the base of the recess 56, the punch 54 has shearing edges 55 for the inner carrier strip portion 8.

Positioned rearwardly of the punch 54, on the ram 44 is a bending punch 60 which, as shown in FIG. 9 has depending from each of its lateral edges, a shearing edge 62, one for each of the outer carrier strip portions 2. A bending recess 64 in the punch 60 is disposed mid-way between the blades 62 and opens vertically downwardly (as seen in FIG. 9).

Forwardly of the plates 18 is a terminal bending anvil 68 extending towards the recess 64 and being dimensioned to be received therein with clearance.

Spaced equally from the anvil 68, on either side thereof are shear blocks 70 having shearing edges 72 at their inner upper (as seen in FIG. 9) corners, guide blocks 74 for the punch 60, being mounted on the blocks 70, to guide the punch 60 into a recess 61 be tween the blocks 70. The lefthand (as seen in FIGS. 6 and 8) corner of the anvil 68 provides a shearing edge 76 for co-operation with the right-hand (as seen in FIGS. 6 and 8) shearing edge 55 if the punch 54. Spaced forwardly of the anvil 68 by approximately the width of a blank 1, to define with the anvil 68 and with laterally positioned support blocks for the carrier portions 2, a space 77, is a shear block 78 the top right-hand (as seen in FIG. 8) edge of which provides a shear edge 80 for cooperation with the left-hand (as seen in FIG. 8) shearing edge 55 of the punch 54. The extent of the space 77 can be adjusted longitudinally of the plate 12 by a screw 81 in the block 78. The space 77 is adjusted so that the punch 54 can move through it and through a hole 79 in the base plate 12, as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 6, towards a terminal support locator 82 mounted by a nut 83 on a block 84 (FIG. 6) mounted beneath the base plate 12. The punch 54 is guided by the forward guide blocks 74 and further guide blocks 85 positioned forwardly of the guide blocks 74. As best seen in FIG. 8, the locator 82 has a central plunger 86 which is depressible against the action of a spring 88. The blocks 70 and 74, and 75 and 85 co-operate to define slots 20a and 20b respectively to receive the carrier portions 2.

The strip ST, which as mentioned above, may comprise several hundred blanks l, is wound about a rotary storage spool (not shown) which may be carried by the frame 14. To load the apparatus with the strip ST, the free ends of the carrier portions 2 of the strip ST are passed into the slots 20 from the right-hand (as seen in FIG. 6) end so that the blanks 1 span the plates 18, the drag plate 22 being raised against the action of its spring 24 by depressing the lever 42 and the feed 26 also being raised to allow the strip ST to be passed along the slots 20 until the leading blank 1 of the strip ST is positioned on the anvil 68, with the common axis 10 of the carrier portions 8 extending along the upper (as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9) surface of the anvil and the portions 2 lying in the slots 20a. The feed finger 26 and the drag plate 22 are then released to assume the positions of FIG. 6.

The pedal switch is now operated to cause the ram 44 to carry out a working and a return stroke. During the working stroke, the punch 60 descends with the ram 44, so that the shearing edges 62 shear the legs 7 of the leading blank is folded over by co-operation between the anvil 68 and the walls of the recess 64, about the axis so that the leading blank is partially folded to assume the broken line position of FIG. 9. It should be noted that the carrier portion 8 joining the leading blank to the penultimate blank of the strip ST remains unsevered at this stage and a severed carrier portion 8 projects forwardly from the leading edge of the leading blank.

During the working stroke of the ram 44, the feed finger 26 is retracted rightwardly (as seen in FIG. 6) by a distance corresponding to the Width of a blank 1 and the length of a carrier portion 8. At this stage, the punch 54, although it descends with the ram 44, does not perform any operation on the strip ST.

As the ram 44 performs its return stroke, the punch 60 is raised to the position of FIG. 9. Also, during the return stroke of the ram 44, the feed finger 26 is advanced (leftwardly as seen in FIG. 6) to advance the strip ST by the width of a blank 1 and by the length of a carrier portion 8, the partially folded leading blank on the anvil 68 being thereby advanced into the space 77 and being suspended therein by the carrier portion 8 by which it is still connected to the remainder of the strip ST and by the engagement of the forwardly projecting severed carrier portion 2 with the block 78.

A panel P having holes H therein for the reception of the plug 11 of the terminal 9 to be formed by the apparatus, is now positioned on the locator 84 by engaging one of the holes H over the protruding tip of the plunger 86 so that the hole is aligned with the punch 54. l

The pedal switch is again pressed so that the ram 44 carries out a further working stroke so that as the punch 54 descends, the partially folded leading blank is received in the recess 56 of the punch 54, guided by the mouth 58 and is thereby folded to the position of FIG. 5, being resiliently retained in the recess 56 by virtue of the tendency of the folded leading blank to resume its former partially folded position. The shearing edges 55 of the die 54 then co-operate with the shearing edges 76 and 80 of the anvil 68 and the block 78, respectively, to sever the two carrier portions 8 which remain connected to the folded leading blank. The portion 8 projecting forwardly from the leading blank falls through a chute 83 when severed. Thereafter, the folded leading blank is carried with the punch 54 through the space 7 and the hole 79 in the base plate 12 and the tapered end of the plug 11 (formed by the two legs 7) of the leading blank (which may now be regarded as the terminal 9) is forced into the hole H in which the plunger 86 is engaged, depressing the plunger 86 against the action of its spring 88. By virtue of the tapered construction of the leg 11, the two folded over parts of the portion 4 of the terminal 9 are forced towards one another so that the terminal 9 is released or is at least loosened in the recess 56 of the punch 54.

Also during this working stroke of the ram 44, the penultimate blank of the strip ST which was advanced during the leftward movement of the feed finger 26 onto the anvil 68 was folded over by the punch 60 and 6 anvil 68 in the manner described above with reference to the leading blank, and severed from the carrier portions 2 by the shearing edges 62 and 72.

During the return stroke of the ram the punch 54 is withdrawn leaving the terminal 9 secured to the panel P, as shown in FIG. 6. The panel is then moved on to engage a further hole H over the tip of the plunger 86 ready for a further cycle of operation of the apparatus.

It will be apparent from the above description that following the initial cycle of operation of the apparatus during the loading procedure, a terminal is affixed to the panel P as a result of each cycle of operation of the apparatus.

1 claim:

1. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the blanks being initially connected together to form a strip of such blanks, the apparatus comprising means for advancing the strip of blanks along a feed path; insertion means for inserting the leading blank of the strip into an opening in the support; first severing means for partially severing the penultimate blank of the strip from the leading blank thereof at a position upstream, in the feed direction, of the insertion means; folding means for subsequently folding the penultimate blank, and second severing means for completely severing the leading and the penultimate blanks from one another at a position downstream, in the feed direction, of the folding means to permit the inserting means to insert the leading blank into the opening in the support.

2. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the blanks being initially connected together to form a strip of such blanks by carrier strip portions, the apparatus comprising means for axially advancing the strip of blanks intermittently in a feed direction, tools for folding each blank in turn during a dwell period of the strip, tools for severing the carrier strip portions to free the blanks from the strip during dwell periods of the strip and an insertion punch for inserting each folded blank in turn when such has been freed from the strip, into an opening in the support, the folding tools being positioned upstream in the feed direction of the insertion punch so that the folding tools act upon the penultimate blank of the strip, the shearing tools comprising first shearing edges for partially severing the penultimate blank from the strip in such a way as to allow the blank to be folded by the folding tools and second shearing edges for completely severing the leading blank from the strip when the leading blank has been operatively engaged by the insertion punch.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the insertion punch has a recess for resiliently receiving and compressing the leading blank of the strip of blanks, to dimension the leading blank for reception in the opening in the support.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the second shearing edges comprise edges of shoulders on either side of the recess and co-operating shearing edges on means for supporting the leading blank of the strip in register with the insertion punch, the shoulders being positioned in the vicinity of the base of the recess.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the folding tools comprise a folding punch and a folding anvil dimensioned to enter a folding recess in the folding punch, the first shearing edges comprising shearing edges on the folding punch and being positioned on either side of the folding recess and co-operating shearing edges positioned on either side of the folding anvil.

6. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a supings. 

1. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the blanks being initially connected together to form a strip of such blanks, the apparatus comprising means for advancing the strip of blanks along a feed path; insertion means for inserting the leading blank of the strip into an opening in the support; first severing means for partially severing the penultimate blank of the strip from the leading blank thereof at a position upstream, in the feed direction, of the insertion means; folding means for subsequently folding the penultimate blank, and second severing means for completely severing the leading and the penultimate blanks from one another at a position downstream, in the feed direction, of the folding means to permit the inserting means to insert the leading blank into the opening in the support.
 2. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the blanks being initially connected together to form a strip of such blanks by carrier strip portions, the apparatus comprising means for axially advancing the strip of blanks intermittently in a feed direction, tools for folding each blank in turn during a dwell period of the strip, tools for severing the carrier strip portions to free the blanks from the strip during dwell periods of the strip and an insertion punch for inserting each folded blank in turn when such has been freed from the strip, into an opening in the support, the folding tools being positioned upstream in the feed direction of the insertion punch so that the folding tools act upon the penultimate blank of the strip, the shearing tools comprising first shearing edges for partially severing the penultimate blank from the strip in such a way as to allow the blank to be folded by the folding tools and second shearing edges for completely severing the leading blank from the strip when the leading blank has been operatively engaged by the insertion punch.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the insertion punch has a recess for resiliently receiving and compressing the leading blank of the strip of blanks, to dimension the leading blank for reception in the opening in the support.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the second shearing edges comprise edges of shoulders on either side of the recess and co-operating shearing edges on means for supporting the leading blank of the strip in register with the insertion punch, the shoulders being positioned in the vicinity of the base of the recess.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the folding tools comprise a folding punch and a folding anvil dimensioned to enter a folding recess in the folding punch, the first shearing edges comprising shearing edges on the folding punch and being positioned on either side of the folding recess and co-operating shearing edges positioned on either side of the folding anvil.
 6. Apparatus for folding electrical terminal blanks and inserting the folded blanks in openings in a support, the apparatus comprising means for partially severing the blanks from the strip, means for subsequently folding the blanks, means for completely severing the folded blanks from the strip, and means for inserting the folded and completed severed blanks into the openings. 